The Way They've Always Been
by tiramisuspice
Summary: Five out of six times Uma had beaten Harry in a duel.


**So I watched D2 and I** ** _instantly_** **fell in love with Harry and Uma. Their chemistry, understanding of each other, connection,** ** _everything_** **was unreal! I wrote too much in this story, but how could I not when they were sizzling on screen like that?**

 **Warning** **: There are some dark themes in this story because in my mind the Isle of the Lost is a much more deplorable place than what we saw of it.**

 **Rated T for Tortured Souls**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Descendants 2. I'm just obsessed with Huma.**

 **UPDATE: I went back and re-revised because the errors in this were a mess lol**

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~.~.~ One ~.~.~

When Harry first met Uma, he'd been just shy of his tenth birthday, and his father had kicked him out of their decrepit shack, warning him not to come back without some money otherwise he would blow holes in him with his pistol. Harry had protested at first, but the single warning shot in the wall near his head had made him turn tail and get the hell out of his home. It was no secret to anybody that his father's mental state had been deteriorating at an alarming rate, only made worse any time he heard a ticking clock. Hook had already killed Harry's mother years ago by locking her in the brig of the Jolly Roger and refusing to give her food for more than a week. Who was to say Harry wasn't next?

Harry had been too scared of his father's dangerous temper to sneak her food. The last time she'd been on punishment and Harry had tried to help her, his father had stabbed him with a broken bottle. He would carry the scar on his abdomen forever along with the regret at the back of his mind that it was all his fault that he couldn't help his mother. That he was weak. But he'd learned very quickly that it was better to look out for himself in this world. The weak ones who couldn't survive were the first to go.

He'd been on the streets for days now, wandering aimlessly, hungry, exhausted, stinking like seaweed but he couldn't go home no matter how desperate he was for the little comfort it offered him. His home life wasn't great, but at least he was with his father. And though he'd largely been avoiding his old man, there was a time when he used to take Harry out to learn to sail and to understand the ways of the sea. These days Captain Hook wasn't much of a captain. He spent his days like a lazy bum, loafing about in his home drinking himself away to stupor and cursing King Adam in Auradon for stripping them of their magic.

Being out on the streets was rough, and more than once, Harry had gotten chased and almost killed for stealing food, but he did what he had to do to survive.

He'd ended up stumbling into Ursula's fish and chip shack when he'd been following the trail of the scent of food. He caught sight of Uma, her blue haired daughter, serving customers with the same hungry look in her gaze as him. The look of someone fed up with the world and itching for a chance to get out of it. He knew of her, but they'd never met face to face. She was gangly and scrawny but her eyes held a ferocity in them that surprised him.

But above that, his eyes were drawn to the golden shell necklace around her neck. It had been Ursula's prized possession back when she could use magic, but clearly passed off to her daughter now. Many in the black market would kill for the infamous trinket. It could make him rich, and maybe with all the money, he could appease his villainous father for once.

He waited until the shack closed for the night and Uma was tidying up on her own as ordered by her mother before he snuck in. He approached her slowly, a stolen sabre in his hand that he pointed at her head.

"Uma, daughter of Ursula." He declared staunchly. "I challenge you to a duel."

She briefly glanced up at him in disinterest though she continued to wash the table. "Your hand is shaking. Do you even know how to use a sword?"

"Quiet!" He barked. "I said I'm challenging you to a duel. Accept it!"

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Why should I?"

"Then you'll die by my hand," he said, pointing the tip of the sword directly at her neck.

She still looked undaunted, and Harry wondered what sorts of horrors she'd had to view in her life for her to not flinch at having a weapon pointed at her neck ready to impale her.

"You don't have the balls to kill someone yet. I can see it in your eyes."

"Don't test me! I haven't eaten in days, I'm tired, and I want to go back to my shack. I really will kill you!"

"What are your terms…" she finally asked, staring at him warily in exhaustion as she dropped her rag on the table.

"Your necklace. I want it when I win."

"If. And you can't use it without magic on the island."

"I don't care." He shoved the sword further up against her skin, and Uma inhaled sharply when the blade went through the skin. Some blood trickled out of the shallow wound and down her neck and collar bone. For a very brief moment, Harry felt a twinge of guilt but he squashed the feeling down. It wouldn't do to feel any sympathy for anyone on this island. They were all enemies. "That's what I want."

Her eyes were shrewd. "Fine then. If I win, you're giving me the Jolly Roger."

Was she crazy? Her counter proposal was so surprising that he just stared at her for several seconds, trying to determine if she was making a joke. His hand and the sword fell by his side, and he frowned in confusion.

"You're completely mad." There was no way he could wager his father's ship. If he lost it to Uma, Captain Hook would have his head. Sure, his father didn't do much sailing these days, but the Jolly Roger was one of the few things the old man did care about at all. At least, he cared about it much more than he cared about Harry, that was for sure.

"Only as mad as you are, challenging me to a fight for this," Uma responded evenly, reaching up and loosely grasping the glittering gold trinket. "You're asking for my mother's most prized possession. So I'm asking for your father's. It's only fair."

He swallowed thickly, licking his lips as he thought about it. It wasn't a good wager, and he was putting himself in danger doing this. But he was tired of living on the streets and nearly getting bitten alive by the gutter rats. He needed food, and he didn't know how much longer he could put up with a life like this.

"Fine."

Uma pulled an old rusted sword out from the Lost and Found and got into a ready stance, facing Harry with a raised brow and a sardonic smile. "Strike to kill, or you'll lose, Hook."

The taunt infuriated him and with a growl, Harry held the sword like a bat and swung wildly at her. He honestly didn't really know how to fence, but it didn't matter how he swung as long as he managed to disarm her or injure her enough that she couldn't move. She blocked all his attempts to hit her with dexterity, so agile and her hand motions so controlled yet fluid that for a second it almost seemed as if she was using eight arms to fight.

He didn't know who had taught her or when, but she gained the upper hand very quickly, and before he knew it, his sword had been knocked out of his hands. She jabbed the butt of her sword harshly into his abdomen. Harry wheezed and coughed, gripping his stomach in pain. His vision went a bit dizzy as his sore, empty stomach protested the rough treatment, and he sunk to his knees, winded, and his energy almost entirely drained from overexertion.

Uma shoved him down completely to the ground and then sat on his back to force him still. She smashed his face into the dirt on the sticky ground of the tavern, a mischievous grin on her face as she crossed her legs and got comfortable.

"Well, well, well… Looks like I defeated you, _Harry_ ," Uma gloated, clearly enjoying the upper hand she had. Harry grit his teeth, his breathing shallow as he started to grow more and more irate. "Do you concede this battle?"

"Get off me, you bitch!" he snarled, trying with all his might to shake her off.

"I own the Jolly Roger now." She planted her dirty hand right on the side of his face, keeping him from shifting his head. With her other hand, she took her sword and held it in front of his neck. "If you go back on your word, I'll cut your head right off, right now."

"Put a cork in it, Uma," Harry growled, struggling to get out, but he was just a small boy, and she was using all of her weight to keep him from budging.

He'd vastly underestimated her strength. For someone so thin who looked like a stray, rabid dog, she was much stronger than he'd anticipated. And it stung. Not only had he lost his meal ticket that evening, but he would have to explain to his father somehow that the Jolly Roger no longer belonged to the Hook family. He had no doubt his father would kill him now.

"Do you concede?" she repeated.

"Yes." He hissed, his ribs feeling like they were about to break from the pressure. He could barely take in any breaths, and his eyes were getting hazy from lack of food and sleep. "Now get off!"

Uma got off his back, and Harry slowly dragged himself to his feet. He gripped one of the tables to help pull himself up, his stomach groaning the whole while. Uma watched him without a word for a few seconds before pulling out a half wedge of bread from her pocket and holding it out to him. The severe look in her eyes had dwindled and had been replaced with something like pity, and it made him angry. Who the hell did she think she was?

"I don't need your pity." Harry stalked off furiously, his fists clenched tightly as he snatched up his sabre from the ground. He stormed out of the fish and chip shack. "Don't belittle me."

Yes, his stomach felt like it was about to curl in on itself, but he would rather die than accept the charity of the person who'd just soundly beaten him in a duel. If this had been a real fight, he'd have been dead by now. She should have just killed him.

There was an old man who'd been selling bread not too far from the docks. Although Harry didn't particularly want to steal whatever meagre savings the man had managed to collect, his safety was more important. He wouldn't tell his father about the Jolly Roger, but some money would definitely gain him entry back into his home for at least a day or two. Or at least until his father ran out of rum again.

But he vowed revenge on Uma if it was the last thing he did.

~.~.~ Two ~.~.~

Harry leaned back on the piles of burned wood he was resting on, forcing himself to chew and swallow the blades of dead, acrid grass. His stomach growled in protest and lurched repeatedly from his triggered gag reflex, but he ignored the violent response his body was having to the stuff. Food was food. He couldn't be picky about what he ate, especially since there was almost nothing left to eat on this decrepit patch of land.

His father's shack had been invaded by some vandals while Harry was away, and they'd taken everything left before setting it on fire. It wasn't much except for some leftover bottles of rum and booze, some rotting fruits, and his father's hook. Harry could have taken this opportunity to leave and find a new place, but his home faced the sea, and he had always loved the sense of calm comfort the water always offered him. The lack of food would be difficult, but it was worth it for the view. Harry supposed he could hold out on not eating for a day or two; it wasn't anything he wasn't used to. If he got desperate then he could start digging in graves to find bodies to grill. Becoming a cannibal was not ideal, but he had to survive. And if that meant eating people, he would do just that.

"Only the strong survive…" He grinned maniacally to himself, lifting up the shiny silver hook of his father's and staring at the finely crafted imprints on the metal. "Hear that, old man? I'm stronger than you. I always have been."

Harry had managed to win back his father's pocket watch from that asshole Jay's nefarious gang of thieves, and his father's red coat he stole from some peddler trying to sell it off. But getting the hook had been dangerous because the vandals who took it had no qualms killing kids. It'd nearly cost him an eye when one of the lackeys slashed him straight across his face with a dagger and on top of that, his wrist had been broken. He'd had to tear off some of his shirt to use it as a bandage, but he'd gotten his family heirloom back. Now all that was left was reclaiming the Jolly Roger from Uma. She'd had it for two years and now it was time he got it back from the wench.

He'd been wondering how to sneak up on her and kill her, but when she suddenly appeared in his line of sight, he couldn't believe his luck. She'd come to him. But her next words took him completely off guard.

"Harry, son of Captain Hook. I challenge you to a duel. I win? You become my first mate."

He laughed long and hard at that, ignoring the stinging of his cut when his skin stretched. "Why should I? You stole my boat."

"I won it fair and square. You shouldn't have been stupid enough to wager something that priceless. Your father's dead, you have no food and no home. Join my crew as first mate. I'll be captain."

"Crew? You as cap'n?" He snorted at the hilarity. They were the same age, but she was much smaller than him, thin from malnourishment, her dirty rags much too large for her small body and falling apart at the seams, yet she spoke in a commanding boom as if she owned the place. She demanded respect with little to no effort, and it intrigued him. "Why do you even want me as a first mate?"

She unsheathed her sword with a smirk. "If you beat me, I'll tell you."

"Alright. But if I win, I'm getting back the Jolly Roger, Uma. And I'll make you walk the plank." Harry boredly pulled himself up to his feet, trying not to wince at the splinters jutting into his feet as he walked down the haphazard pile of broken wood, nails, and other dangerous debris that probably could and would tear into his flesh. "You sure you want to duel? I've much improved since our last bout."

He'd had to or he would have gotten killed months ago. Even now, he still had to improve because once those vandals tracked him down, they would try to kill him to get the hook again.

"Don't underestimate me, Harry. I've improved too." She tucked an arm behind her back and rose a brow tauntingly. "We'll do this one-handed since you can't use your left wrist right now. Hell, I'll even use my non-dominant arm to make it easier for you~"

He hated this fucking bitch.

Harry charged at her, aiming directly for her vitals. He took more care in how he was swinging and aiming, but she gave as good as she got, parrying with him and trading blows. The only sounds around them were their harsh breathing as they fought coupled with the sound of metal clanging against each other. He was faring much better than he had two years ago, and with his strength and height, he had an advantage over her. She didn't leave many holes in her defence though, and she was much more focused than he was. He grew a bit mesmerised by that devious glint in her eyes as she fought him off, dodging his attacks only to counter with blows that made his hand shake as he tried to avoid getting hit.

"Pay attention," she growled, changing her trajectory and suddenly striking in a backswing.

He didn't have enough time to avoid it and just barely managed to get out of lethal range. Her swing nicked him in the abdomen though, ripping his only shirt and cutting him. It was a shallow wound, but she barely gave him enough time before she was at it again, swinging and swinging in rapid succession and giving him no time to think of a counter attack.

Then Uma suddenly stopped and kicked dirt right in his face, and it stung his cut. He briefly spluttered to get it out of his eyes and mouth, but his momentary distraction was enough for her to charge at him. She kept pressing him, pushing him further and further back with her swipes and slashes until he felt like he'd lost almost all control over the fight. She lunged long and deep and tried to stab him in the abdomen, but Harry anticipated the obvious move and avoided it. He jumped back away from her, but then tripped on one of the burned planks of wood he hadn't noticed was directly behind him. Harry slipped on it and tumbled backwards, accidentally letting go of his sword and landing hard on his ass in the broken pieces of wood. His elbow scraped painfully on the ground, and he cursed under his breath when his damaged wrist banged against his leg.

"Number one rule," Uma muttered as she picked up his dropped sword. "Always take note of the environment you're fighting in and use it to your advantage. We need to fix your sloppy form and add more power to your swing, but your strengths lie in how wild and unpredictable you are when you fight."

No matter how annoying losing to her was, he couldn't deny that he was sincerely impressed with the way she handled a sword. She'd been using just her weaker arm and yet he couldn't find any openings or put pressure on her.

Looming over him, her sword pointed at him with the setting sun shining behind her, his eyes widened as he stared up at her. Even with her tattered clothes, she looked regal, like some sort of sea goddess.

"Where did you learn to fight?"

"I taught myself by watching the bar fights at my mom's shack." Her gaze darkened. "I had to learn to protect myself. This isn't a safe world for a growing girl. I've seen what happens to girls when they can't defend themselves."

"Only the strong survive here," he responded indifferently. The way he saw it, either they fought for the right to live or they deserved to die.

She smirked. "Exactly. Which is why I want you to join the new crew I'm assembling as first mate."

"Why do you even want me as a first mate when I've lost to you twice?"

Harry was uninterested in being her part of her crew. He was planning on getting his revenge. He hated the fact that she beat him, and he intended to get his boat back any way he could, even if it meant going against pirate code. Once she lowered her guard enough, he would skewer her with his father's hook and take the Jolly Roger back by force.

"I saw your fight with that gang for your father's hook. Your wrist was broken, but you still never let go of your sword in spite of that. You held your own against several people. I need that kind of tenacity by my side. And you're smart, quick on your feet, and strong, even if you seem a little unhinged. I need you."

He wasn't aware he'd had an audience during the biggest ass kicking of his life. The unexpected compliments took him by surprise though and for a few seconds, he struggled to figure out the words to say. Usually he tried to charm or smile his way out of uncomfortable situations or turn things to his advantage, but somehow, he knew that wouldn't work on her.

Harry yawned, shifting to a more comfortable position on his pile. "If you saw the fight, then you know how it ended: me running with my tail between my legs."

"You're not a coward," she asserted.

He eyed her in annoyance. "If you run from a fight, you're worthless. Now go away before I kill you."

Uma laughed derogatorily at that, eyeing him up and down like he was deranged. "You can't even touch me."

"Will you leave me be to my dinner?" He'd had enough of being belittled by her. "I don't want to be your first mate, pirate code be damned."

"Listen. The Jolly Roger is a magical ship and our only hope to get the hell out of this prison. It has the ability to get to Neverland, a place beyond anyone's wildest dreams." Her breathing was shaky with anger, her fists clenched in fury as she spoke through grit teeth. "If I can figure out a way to use the ship to breach the barrier, I can get off of the Isle and go to Auradon. Not just me and you, but every one of us stuck in this wretched place. There's so much better out there, and we're confined to life here. We endure this undeserved fate, and for what?! The sins of our parents? I'm tired of living in hell! Aren't you?!"

"That's a pretty huge ambition for someone so young…" They were barely starting to hit their teens. What the hell could they even do at their age?

But it interested him. No one he knew was so willing or so determined to escape the life they'd been subjected to. Most people hated their lives and hated the people in Auradon, but they'd grown complacent, accepting the status quo like there were no other options out there and resigning themselves to their fate. Harry himself had started to settle into a rhythm of living a worthless, difficult life. Her gumption was refreshing. And she was right. They didn't have to live like this.

"We never had the choice to be young, Harry." For a brief moment, her eyes glazed over in agony, but the look quickly vanished and the unmoveable steel was back. "You can't afford to be young here. Not if you want to live to see adulthood."

And with that, he knew she understood exactly the pain of being forced to grow up too fast on the Isle of the Lost. The pain of being the children of monsters and forced to fight each day for survival and forced to live in terrifying conditions. Some people were better off than others, but it didn't mean much since everyone here suffered. Harry had seen people gutted by the rival gangs running rampant throughout the streets, kids shanked in street fights and other countless horrors he tried to will away from his dreams at night.

Her eyes told him she'd seen the same horrors daily. She had those weary eyes of a child fatigued with life, disillusioned, so much pain and anguish whirling in them that she seemed much older than a tender twelve. And swirling in the midst of those beautiful, soulful eyes, he could see the same despair and anxiety and hatred at the hand they'd been dealt in life that he knew was reflected in his own eyes. But there was a fire and spirit in them that he didn't often see from people here. Uma was staunchly determined in her quest, and for some reason, Harry truly felt she would succeed.

In fact, he _wanted_ her to succeed.

His heart thumped hard in his chest, and for the first time ever, he felt a real smile twitching on his face. For the first time since Harry's father stuck his pistol in his mouth and blew his own head off, Harry felt alive again. Like he had something to live for now instead of wandering aimlessly day after day, just trying to make it to an uncertain next one.

But Uma? She was a kindred spirit, and she _knew_ him. He didn't know how, but she did.

"There's no magic on this island, you know?" he finally replied when she glared at him impatiently. "You'll need magic to get the ship past the barrier."

"I'll find a way to make it work." She flipped his sword around in her hand, gripping the blade and holding out the hilt to him. The steel of the metal cut into her palm, and he watched with fascination as she barely flinched as blood trickled out of the wound onto the sword. "And I expect you to be right there fighting alongside me. If you refuse me again, I will end you."

Harry stared at her blankly, searching her eyes to see if she was being completely serious. But her expression remained the same, her gaze steadfast and the ghost of a smirk on her lips.

His grin grew slowly, and then he started laughing hard, clutching his sides in disbelief. Why she was putting so much faith in him, he would never understand, but far be it for him to miss a perfect opportunity to work under such a tenacious, fearless person. Just the thought made chills of excitement dance through his veins.

He took the hilt. "Aye aye, Cap'n."

Even though she'd won fair and square, Harry knew after what she'd told him of her ambitions, he still would have joined as her right hand man without the incentive of the wager. In fact, all thoughts of killing her and stealing back his father's ship had completely left his mind. He had a bigger purpose now. Something important she needed him for, and he intended to follow it through to the end.

Harry wanted off this island, and with Uma as Captain, he knew they could succeed.

~.~.~ Three ~.~.~

Finding a crew was difficult. Harry couldn't stand a lot of the idiots around them, and Uma was very adamant about loyalty and refused to just hire any old fool. They'd been searching for almost a month now and hadn't managed to get anyone. Even with the added benefit of living on a ship and getting a salary in the form of food at Ursula's fish and chip shack, people were either too unambitious to leave their current life or they were already attached to other groups and gangs and weren't trustworthy.

As Harry was returning to Ursula's place from doing his recruitment rounds, he found a scraggly haired blonde boy he'd never seen before. The guy's dirty hair was stringy and greasy, too long and falling into his eyes and above that, he was wearing nothing but his underwear. The boy was digging through the dumpster in the alley, rummaging around and pulling out various bits from the bag to eat. He looked starved, his ribs were almost poking through his skin, and though Harry wasn't a fan of helping anyone who couldn't fend for themselves, the fact that he didn't recognise the guy made him think he could be a good addition to their crew. Anyone was better than no one at this point, and if Uma didn't want this guttersnipe, she could just kick him to the curb.

So without a word, he hooked the back of the guy's shirt and dragged him behind him into Ursula's tavern. He let go abruptly and used the blonde guy's momentum to throw him at Uma's feet. The guy stared up at Uma in awe who was frowning at Harry in disbelief.

"What is this?"

He shrugged, grinning to himself. "Found you a stray to recruit."

She sighed, clearly exasperated with him and turned to the blonde guy. "So what's your story?"

He explained he was one of Gaston's tons of illegitimate children on the island. It made sense. The dude was a bit burly though slender from hunger, but above that, he had the same handsome countenance as Gaston. His mother sold him into prostitution so she could make some money off of him, but he'd tried to escape only to end up at the docks near Ursula's fish and chip shack. He'd travelled a long way from the inner city boroughs to end up near the docks.

"I know I'm just going to get captured and brought back for whippings, but I just wanted to see a proper sunset." His eyes nearly sparkled as he spoke. "I've never been by the docks, but I heard from one of the customers that if you go to the edge of the Isle you can see the gorgeous sun setting on the horizon of Auradon. It smells like fish in this area here, and I don't like it very much, but I just wanted to see the sky shining as it says goodnight. And apparently there are diamonds in the sky that come out to play too."

"Those are stars…" Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Hasn't anyone ever taught you how to chart them?"

"No. I don't even know how to read or write."

He really didn't seem too bright, but there was such an innocence to him that Harry couldn't help but like the joy the boy found in the simple things in life, despite the way his life had gone. Normally people like that didn't exist on the island. Innocent people were chewed up and spit mercilessly back out as shells of their former selves. But somehow, this boy had managed to retain the light in his eyes and a cheerful outlook on life.

"So what's your name?" Uma asked, setting down another tray of food in front of him that he promptly tore into.

"I'm usually referred to as 'You'," he responded in between shovelling some cod in his mouth and slurping the soup. "On good days, I'm 'Boy'."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You don't have a name?"

"My mom was also a prostitute Gaston hired. She didn't want me so she didn't bother."

Harry and Uma glanced at each other with knowing looks. He seemed to understand exactly what she was telling him: that they had to take this stray in. And Harry nodded subtly in agreement. They were a pair of strays who'd found each other, and this stray needed them. He had to join their crew.

Uma perched herself on the table near the boy. "Listen. I am Captain Uma of the Jolly Roger and this is my first mate, Harry Hook. I'm recruiting you to join our pirate crew. I can teach you how to read and write. I can provide you with food, but in exchange, you will work for me, following my orders as we strive towards my goal."

"Your goal?" he asked curiously, looking up at her wide eyed.

"I'm trying to break us all out of this island."

"You mean I'll get to see an Auradon sunset up close?"

"Yes. And I'll even give you a name."

"Now, hold on," Harry protested, turning around from where he'd been sharpening his hook. " _You're_ naming him? I should be the one to name him. I'm an actual boy."

She looked her nose down on him, giving him that haughty look that made him want to wring her neck sometimes. "I'm the captain; I name him."

"I found him in the dumpster!"

Uma hopped off the table and grabbed her sword from the pillar it was resting against. "Then we duel. Winner chooses his name."

"Agreed."

Harry had been improving very quickly under Uma's training and tutelage, and it showed. His reaction time was sharper, his blocks weren't causing him to have openings anywhere else, and once or twice, his strikes actually forced her to use both hands to keep her defensive form from crumpling. Harry knew how to use his height to his advantage more readily, and he used it successfully a few times.

But of course, she still won. And of course, she rubbed it in his face like nobody's business, taunting him and cackling at his loss. Their stray laughed along too, slapping the table and enjoying their fight.

"Alright already. We get it. I lost." Harry sulked, still feeling the bruise to his ego. He still couldn't believe that such a short, scrawny girl who had yet to start puberty could even fight this well. She was a force to be reckoned with.

"You guys are funny." The blonde boy grinned. "I want to join your crew!"

"Good." Uma looked quite pleased. "Then I dub you… hmmm, Gil. Strong, mighty Gil who will serve as my second hand man and boatswain."

Harry knew she'd chosen the name to reflect her love of the sea. But somehow the name still suited the blonde haired boy.

"Gil, huh?" the blonde said softly, testing it out on his tongue. To Harry's surprise, Gil's eyes shone with unshed tears. "…I finally have a name now. Gil. I can introduce myself and say my name is Gil!"

The jovial, tearful smile he gave them as he laughed made Harry's irritation at his loss to Uma melt immediately away. This was a boy who'd been forced into a life of prostitution from a young age, yet remained strong through it all. But a simple name had been all he'd wanted.

Their little crew had grown to three, and as Harry watched Uma explain to Gil in more depth what their plans were, he couldn't help but smile. Uma may not have been able to see it, but her charismatic nature would in no time rally more people into their crew. She didn't know how much she had done for Gil with the simple act of naming him. She probably didn't know how much she'd done for Harry either with giving him a purpose for his life, something to live for, and he knew she would do so much more for other people as well.

Harry didn't doubt with Uma's charismatic leadership, his own rugged good looks, and Gil's innocent warmth, they would have no problems getting people to join their crew now.

~.~.~ Four ~.~.~

It was no secret that Uma hated Mal with a burning passion. Not only was she responsible for Uma's dreaded nickname Shrimpy, but now that the daughter of Maleficent had been chosen as one of the four to finally leave the Isle and attend Auradon Prep, Uma wasn't coping well. Getting off the island had been Uma's personal goal since they were younger. Hell, Harry was kind of upset too, if only for the fact that Uma had been working her ass off for four years to find a way off the island, yet four other randos had been chosen to lead dream lives while the rest of them were left to rot. So naturally, she was angrier now, more intense and very jaded. The glint in her eyes was more pronounced and he could see that her patience was at the end of its rope.

(If he was honest with himself though, there was a part of Harry that was a little glad Uma hadn't been picked because they probably would have ended up separated).

Ursula coped much worse over the choice though. To have her greatest rival's daughter get picked instead of Uma led to endless punishment for Uma apparently not being good enough. Harry wanted nothing more than to tear Ursula's fucking tentacles to shreds for daring to cause his captain pain, but he held his tongue and could only look away furiously as Uma was flung like a ragdoll across the room on tables and into the wall.

Uma took her punishments in stride, keeping her head up and staying focused despite her mother's constant wrath, but Uma's motives and ambitions transformed, and she was no longer satisfied with just getting off the island and leaving the prison. No, it was personal now. She wanted to get to Auradon and take over the place as ruler of the lands. It only grew worse when the four sell outs decided to become good and forgot where they came from. Uma had had enough of their complacency and decided to take over all of Auradon someday. She was vicious and dangerous and almost cruel to those who opposed her word. But she blossomed and _demanded_ a respect that made even more people join their crew, deciding to be a part of the revolution she'd started on the island. Before long, many began to consider her the queen of the Isle.

And to be quite honest, Harry _loved_ it.

There was a radiance to her when she stood atop tables inciting and encouraging her crew to keep fighting for an escape from the prison. Gallantness in her conquests when they won more turf or defeated other rival gangs. She was fierce and dangerous, calculating and cruel when she needed to be, yet empathetic and cared deeply for the wellbeing of the people she'd taken under her wing. She was violently passionate and courageous, never straying from her path of justice.

He was enamoured by her desire for change and had been able to stick with her for so many years because of her convictions. But above that, she made him feel at home. A home more comfortable than being the son of a man who spent his life constantly putting him down. Over the years, she'd become his safe space, she reeled him in when he was out of control, and most importantly, she kept him from flying off the deep end.

But her ambitions had more than often gotten herself injured or nearly killed. She was more reckless with her increasing desires, sometimes jumping into action based on quick assessments of the circumstances instead of carefully plotting the course for days in advance. Granted, she _was_ unusually successful and her endeavours helped them conquer more turf and had led to her being dubbed queen of the Isle, but they made a lot of enemies in the process. Harry knew she could take care of herself, but he couldn't help but be worried what would happen if a rival gang wanted to get serious about wiping her out. She cared about her crew, and Harry knew she would drop anything to help any of them. They were liabilities that could be used against her.

And unfortunately, that very thing did happen.

Gil had been out running an errand for Uma and had gotten captured by a gang who recognised Gil as a member of their crew. The group that caught him—some idiot sons of the Queen of Hearts who called themselves The Spades—issued a challenge to Uma to get their turf back, turf that she had won in a fair battle against their leader. They wanted Uma to come alone to fight them on their territory. If she didn't arrive by midnight, they would kill Gil.

Harry had wanted to come up with some sort of secret plan with members of their crew hiding out in different places as backup in case The Spades tried something. But Uma refused to potentially put Gil in danger if anything went wrong.

"As long as Gil is in their clutches, we can't do anything reckless or they'll kill him. And I can't just _not_ go. I'm not deserting him. He's our family."

"I don't want to desert him either. But let me go for you. It's my duty as first mate." He felt panicked. Uma risking her life made him anxious, and when he got anxious, he couldn't control himself. And when he couldn't control himself, people tended to get lacerated by his hook. He already wanted to destroy The Spades for taking Gil, but if something happened to Uma, he wasn't sure what his anger would manifest as, and the last thing he wanted was to disappoint Uma by going on some murder spree. "They're playing dirty. Let me destroy them."

"None of us play fair in this world, Harry," she responded, putting her hat on her head and pulling on her fingerless gloves. "Your duty is to protect the ship when the captain is unable to. I need you to guide our crew while I'm getting Gil."

"Then I challenge you to a duel. If I win, I go in your stead. If I lose, I'll do as you ordered."

Uma rolled her eyes to the sky in exasperation. "Now is really not the time to joke, Hook."

He drew his sword. "I wasn't aware that I was smiling."

She eyed him warily for a few beats of silence before finally shaking her head and drawing her own sword. "Just remember. You asked for it."

Harry could usually tell when Uma was holding back during their practice spars because she had a tendency to focus on defence, watching carefully and assessing potential offensive moves after properly analysing her opponent. But this time, she attacked mercilessly without cease, throwing off his stance by aiming only for his hook arm and forcing him to block with it. His defence caused wide openings that she took advantage of, especially since he was frazzled and unfocused over the issue. Before Harry even knew what was happening, she planted her boot in his gut, roundhouse kicking him so hard he tumbled into some stacked barrels of ale outside of the shack. It spilled all over and winded, he stumbled back into the side of the building and paused to catch his lost breath. He only just barely managed to move his head sideways just as the tip of her sword lodged itself into the wood where his head had been. The duel was over before it had even really begun.

He stared down at her wide eyed and in disbelief over the swift and crushing defeat. Just when he thought he knew Uma, she'd managed to surprise him once again. His heart hammered in his chest when their gazes met. Deep in her eyes—deep, deep where only someone close to her could see it—was apprehension. She wasn't totally confident in this mission, but she was silently pleading with him to let it be. It frustrated him. How could he be her right hand—her protector—when he was useless when it counted?

"I'm heading out, Harry," Uma said quietly, resting a hand on his chest and giving him that small, vulnerable smile reserved only for him.

Harry dropped his hook and pulled her to him by her shoulders, kissing her soundly. Though she stiffened immediately, she didn't push him away. After a few moments of no response, she finally clutched the lapel of his coat and kissed him back just as desperately. He didn't know what it meant or what they were trying to convey in their kiss, and he wasn't sure whether the pounding of his heart in his chest was fear for her life or his blood rushing south, but he didn't let her go until she jerked her head back. She shoved him away from her, her expression undecipherable and carefully blank.

"Go rally the others and protect the ship." She ordered him. "Spades are probably planning to attack the ship because they think you'll be defenceless without the captain. Prove them wrong."

"For every scratch you come back with, I'm killing a Spade." He meant it too.

Her smirk was lethal. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He took her hand and pulled her back to him until their noses were nearly touching. He lowered his voice and whispered against her lips. "And for every scratch on you, that's another part of your body I'm going to claim one day."

"Stop that. Do you want me to cut you?" She cocked a brow. "I'll be fine, Harry."

"I know." He bowed dramatically, lifting her knuckles up to his lips and placing a soft kiss on them, keeping his eyes on hers the whole time. Her gaze softened briefly, but she rectified her expression shortly after and gave him a dry look. "You're our unstoppable Cap'n Uma, Queen of the Isle after all."

Uma broke away from him. She grabbed her pirate coat and draped it around her shoulders as she pulled her sword from the wall and sheathed it. "Protect our home with your life so Gil has a home to return to _when_ I come back with him."

"Aye aye, Cap'n…" he muttered.

He watched her walk away until she was a barely visible speck blending in with the late evening crowd of rowdy island inhabitants.

~.~.~ Five ~.~.~

After a year of watching King Ben and Mal's disgusting fairy tale romance bullshit on their crappy TV, Harry really hadn't expected the king himself to end up on their island with those sell outs and traitors who'd left everyone behind. But nothing had shocked him more than when King Ben actually _listened_ to Uma, when he wanted to give her a chance even though she'd tied him up and threatened him more than once, and when he even offered her an opportunity to work alongside him to fix their lives. As if that wasn't enough, he'd also invited her to the cotillion. She'd rejected his desire to team up, but Harry knew better. Uma had to put up a front of disinterest for the sake of their crew, but she was a loyal woman to a fault. If there was any chance she could sacrifice herself or her wellbeing for the good of the people she cared about and for their lives to improve, she would do it immediately. He could see the cogs turning in her head on how to use the situation to her advantage.

And that opportunity came in the form of Mal leaving behind her spell book during their escape.

It hadn't taken long for Uma to decide to seduce the prince with a love spell in order to rule over Auradon. It had been their plan forever to go to Auradon, but now that there was an actual chance of it happening, Harry hated it. He'd never wanted it to go down this way.

"You know what happened to your mom," he said, trying not to plead with her though from the irritated glare she gave him, he knew he was cutting it close to whining. "Rammed in the chest by a ship and all because she tried to spell someone. This isn't going to end well for you."

He couldn't afford to lose her. She was a beacon of hope and a light for all of them. But above that, she was his _goddess._ She'd kept him grounded, and she was the one who'd given him purpose years ago when he had nothing left.

He worshipped the ground she walked on—as did many others in their crew. They were a family in some odd sense of the word. A dysfunctional family that had formed through the years since their own were awful messes. Losing Uma would destroy them. She'd always recruited their members because she truly knew she needed them, but she failed to see just how much they all needed her too.

"Don't tell me you're scared." Uma snorted derisively. "This plan is so easy. No heavy work, no fighting. I infiltrate from the inside and then get you all to Auradon too. You know, I was furious when that bitch Mal turned back up around here, but now I'm glad she did. I can't wait to crush her soul and ruin her life."

Harry let out the long breath he'd been holding, trying to keep his temper in check. He just wanted to grab Uma and shake her until she listened to him. "You're losing touch with our goal, Uma. If you go through with this, everything we've worked through up until now will be for naught."

"Our goal remains the same even with the new plan. To get to Auradon and upgrade from the Isle."

"And we will, with the Jolly Roger and our whole crew. _Together._ If you go with the goal of getting revenge, you're not helping anyone but yourself."

"There's nothing wrong with killing two birds with one stone. I can get us out of the Isle by making Ben pick me as queen. It's practical, plus it comes with the added bonus of watching Mal's heart break to pieces right in front of me."

"But why make the king fall in love with you?" Harry snarled, spitting out the L word like it was poison in his mouth. "Can't you just go to Auradon and spell everyone into believing you're queen or something?"

It was a stupid suggestion, but at this point, he wanted to do whatever he could to keep her from carrying out this plan. He didn't know why he was so bothered by the thought of King Ben touching _his_ Uma and giving her those charming puppy dog eyes and that perfectly patented princely smile, but it pissed him the hell off. His urge to stab someone with his hook had never been stronger.

"Jealous?" she drawled sarcastically.

He stepped up to her angrily, stabbing the spellbook with his hook and ripping it out of her hands before tossing it across the deck. "I'm serious!"

"I am too. And you know my magic won't be strong enough to spell everyone there." Uma's gaze turned menacing as she stood up and closed the last bit of distance between them. "Stand down. That's an order from your captain."

He narrowed his eyes, and they glared at each other, neither budging in their stance. The members of the crew on the ship watched them nervously, eyes going back and forth uneasily. It wasn't often that the captain and first mate fought like this. Bickered, bantered, and flirted copiously, yes. But actual fights between the two where they lost their temper were rare.

"Do you intend to disobey me, Harry?" Uma asked coldly, her soft voice belied by the murderous intent behind it.

As intimidating as she was, he couldn't help the shiver of excitement running down his back. Whenever she got like this—fire in her gaze and that sexy, threatening aura dancing in her eyes—he couldn't help but get turned on. But this was no time for that. And Uma's threat was clear: if he didn't let her continue on with her plan, she would spill his blood on the deck.

He didn't care.

"I propose a duel," he stated just as coldly. "I win, you do not go on with this farce. We continue with our original plan. We find a way to drop the barrier ourselves and use the Jolly Roger to cross to Auradon. The _whole_ crew. Together."

She rose a brow in partial disgust. "You're that pressed that you're willing to ruin one of the best chances we've ever had to get off this prison? At least make it a wager that makes sense."

"And if you win," he continued, ignoring her jab. "I will follow along with this disgusting love spell plan of yours."

"You never tire of losing, do you?" Uma snapped her fingers, and Gil tossed her his sword. She pulled it out slowly, the sound of the metal scraping against the sheath ominous and alarming. "I warned you what would happen if you refused me again."

"If this is the way it has to be, then so be it."

Harry knew his disobedience vexed her. He could tell by the way her motions were jerky, more power in her strikes, no hesitation in her eyes. Uma was Ursula's daughter after all. She had a heart, but her potential for being sinister was boundless. And she definitely drew upon that viciousness fighting him. He didn't yield an inch, but when he used his hook to block her sword, she tilted it up and yanked his hook right away from him and hurled it carelessly across the deck. His eyes widened in surprise at the low blow as he snapped his gaze away to see where it had scattered to on deck. She took advantage of his shock and hit his sword right out of his hand with her hilt. He dropped his sword, half-expecting her to stab him in the stomach as punishment for not listening to her.

Instead, Uma tackled him, catching him off balance and making them both land sprawled on deck. She straddled his waist, her sword pressed lightly to his jugular. Her hair draped around her face like a curtain, falling around his head in a gorgeous sea of teal and white.

"Checkmate."

Their crew began to cheer wildly for their captain, singing words of praise and howling at her show of strength. Harry paid them no mind, his gaze stuck on Uma. She could have stabbed him in the neck. Honestly, she _should_ have. Disobedience from the first mate could lead to mutiny. Yet she didn't.

No matter what he did, Uma never truly tried to hurt him.

"Alright… I give up," he growled.

Uma nodded, climbing off of him and helping him get to his feet. She went to retrieve the book from where it had slipped. The plan was going to happen now, whether he wanted it to or not. Ben would fall in love with Uma and she would become queen of Auradon. Harry was seething by the time he retrieved his hook. She was already sitting on one of the crates on deck to craft her response letter to Ben's cotillion invitation.

"You've grown careless, Uma. What will you do if the spell wears off? You'll be alone in dangerous territory. They'll throw you in the dungeons. And I won't be there to help you."

The helplessness reminded him of the year the Spades had taken Gil. He hadn't been able to help Uma. She'd returned in one piece, but the broken arm she'd gotten hadn't healed easily because she couldn't afford a doctor. Not only was she in a lot of pain the whole time, but she'd had to switch her dominant sword arm for good since her old one was not as dexterous as it used to be. And Harry could do nothing to alleviate her pain.

"Nothing has changed, Harry. We need to get off the island." She set her pen down and looked up at him, almost gentle with the way she addressed him. "We've waited too long to sit still. It's risky, but I need to do it. I'll get that veil down. And when I do, you all will sail through the barrier."

"But you'll have to marry the king. You'll become the queen of Auradon." Just the thought made him want to hurl.

"I made a choice to get you all off the island. No matter what it takes. No matter what sacrifices I have to make for you all, I will do it. Even if it makes me sick to my stomach."

Harry turned around with a loud roar of annoyance and kicked one of the barrels hard, watching it tumble across the deck until it crashed into an unsuspecting Gil. He hated this.

"I thought my first mate would always have my back," Uma said coldly when he turned back around.

He raked a hand through his hair, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He was slipping, nearly surrendering to his rage. He seriously wanted to kill Ben like nothing else right now. Just stick his hook in his neck and let him bleed out painfully and slowly. Why oh why hadn't he done it when he had the chance earlier?

It bothered him more than he cared to admit. Ben sympathised with Uma and wanted to give her a chance. Ben wanted to work with her to improve their lives and as king of Auradon, he had the means and the power to do so. Making Harry effectively ineffective since he couldn't do altogether too much to advance Uma's ambitious plans. Ben by Uma's side would benefit her more, he knew that. And that's why it bothered him so much. Harry would lose his place by her side. And it was the only place he wanted to be.

"I said I would follow you to hell and back," he growled, meeting her gaze. He belonged by her side. And she by his. "That hasn't changed. That won't ever change."

"Good." She smiled genuinely, a rarity that she rewarded only him with on few occasions, and one that always made his heart thunder like a jackhammer in his chest. "Because you're irreplaceable. I need you."

He needed her too. Desperately. What was it about this woman that made him want to jump into shark infested waters if she asked him to? That made him want to lay down his life for her if need be? That made him want to tear the whole world to pieces for hurting her?

"If that king so much as touches a hair on your head, I'll kill him myself," Harry joked.

(But not really. He was already finalising his plot to kill the king once Uma got her hands on the throne).

"Why are you always so damn dramatic?" The corner of Uma's mouth turned up into a sarcastic smirk. "Just wait for me. The day we get off the island is almost upon us."

But was it worth it if they weren't doing it together?

~.~.~ Six ~.~.~

Harry wouldn't say he understood _love_. He didn't even know what affection really was. After all, he'd spent most of his childhood being berated by his lunatic father as the man's mind slowly deteriorated. His idea of affection was nearly being impaled in the head by an empty rum bottle thrown at him for disturbing his father's sleep. And that was on _good_ days.

But what Harry knew was that he wanted Uma. He knew he wanted to be her crutch and support when she struggled. He wanted to be her protector and shield when she was vulnerable. It was a dog-eat-dog world where they lived and though their crew was loyal and strong, if opposing factions caught any wind of weakness from their compassionate leader, they would try to attack her.

But above all that, he knew he couldn't bear the thought of being away from her for too many nights on end. He'd grown far too accustomed to spending his nights in her bed, wrapping her up in his arms, and watching over her as she slumbered. His attachment to Uma was a weakness and whatever he felt for her could be a liability, but damn if he didn't care.

Eight years she'd been in his life, and he wasn't about to let her go anytime soon, especially now that Ben and those four sell-outs, and Uma and her crew were deep in the process of negotiating a treaty to figure out how to transform life on the Isle. As it stood, there was severe dissent in parts of Auradon and the Elder Fairies were staunchly against moving all inhabitants to Auradon. They didn't even want to allow magic on the Isle because of the dangerous parents of some of the children. Ben had to meet with Uma often to try to figure out how to move on with this new joint plan. But after being on the Isle for so many years, she refused to budge an inch about anyone having to stay on the prison island without magic. She gave the Auradon council an ultimatum to drop the barrier and allow people into Auradon or make villains of the people of the Isle and start a war.

The negotiations were effectively at a impasse, but the most important part was that Harry and Uma were going to find a way out of the isle together with their crew, no matter what happened. He was hers. Which was why he intended to make her _his_ for the rest of their lives, no matter how short they might end up being.

"You what?" she snorted, belittling him as she sharpened her sword. "Stop with the bullshit, or I'll stab you."

"I'm not bullshitting." His shark-like grin grew on his face. "We belong to each other, Uma. Marry me."

Uma glanced up, scrutinising him silently, her expression completely blank and unreadable. "You're actually serious about this?"

"When am I not serious, Uma?"

"You're never serious," she deadpanned. "In fact, most times I have to threaten you for you to be serious."

"…Semantics." He turned his hook to and fro, observing it for any dings on the metal. "Your answer?"

She glared at him. "I'm not marrying you."

"Then I propose a duel." He unsheathed his sword, an excited smirk on his lips. "I win? We wed at midnight. You win? I will leave the crew as your first mate."

The whole crew stopped their work at that and turned to stare at the duo with dropped jaws. This was the worst of the wagers ever. This one could actually break their crew.

"…You think that's enough for the price of having me? My hand is not a light wager. This goes beyond our usual deals." Uma stood up and held her own sword in front of her. The metal was glinted threateningly in the departing light of the evening but it had nothing on the steel in her gaze. She was no longer in an easy-going mood. "If I win, you're walking the plank into the piranha infested waters of the lagoon, Harry. You better pray you don't lose because we haven't sent anyone to those fish in months and believe me, they'll be hungry."

His wolfish grin grew impossibly wider. Leave it to his captain to make things more dangerous, more enticing for him. He had no choice but to win or face probable death. His death was how much her hand was worth, and by golly did it make his loins stir. The high stakes made him even more excited about their upcoming fight, especially since he had yet to actually win.

Regardless, this wasn't a fight he intended to lose. He knew she was threatening him with death to see how serious he was about his proposal. It wasn't like he hadn't joked around with her to date him several times in the past, but marriage was a whole other ballpark, and she clearly wanted to know if he thought it was a game. But _this_ time, Harry's conviction was stronger than Uma's, and he was going to show her just how serious his intentions were.

"C'mon, swashbuckling pirate. Your life is on the line here," she taunted him humourlessly.

Harry smirked. "Don't go easy on me now. My ego won't be able to take it."

And she charged, her blows unrelenting and severe.

Once again, he was reminded how incredibly fierce and strong their captain was. Twice her sword nearly skewered him, but he'd managed to deftly avoid the blows with his sword. She was aggressive in her attacks, not letting up one inch in her slashes and jabs and forcing Harry to go on defence right from the beginning. He had to watch her moves carefully because if he slipped up even once, she would tear him to shreds. She wasn't holding back at all, and there was something about that that made his heart race. He'd never beaten her before, yet she was taking his proposal seriously and giving him a chance to prove that his resolve was firm and sincere. She was risking losing him to know if he was someone she could truly give her life to.

Far be it for him to disappoint her.

Harry cackled with wild laughter in glee, blocking a strike hard enough that sparks danced on the connection of their blades. Uma's brows only rose minutely, but he didn't bother to care, forcing his offence and aiming to hit her hard. He played rough, feigning with his hook only to attack from above. He was still much stronger than her, no matter how good she was with the sword and with each successive blow, he pushed her further and further back. She couldn't defend her ground and from the annoyance on her face, he knew he had the upperhand.

He backed up a few paces and then threw his sword away, and Uma stared at him like he'd lost his mind. But she didn't give up the opportunity to swing at him. Left, right, jab, left. Another jab. Each time, closer and closer to catching Harry as he jumped away from her blade to dodge it and each time at the same steady even pace. He waited until she broke her rhythm, and then rushed her. As expected, his movement threw Uma off rhythm again, and she swung fast and sloppily to ward him away.

Bingo.

Harry caught her sword with his hook, and then grabbed the blade barehanded with his other hand. She only realised what he was doing when it was too late. Uma tried to jerk her sword away from him, but Harry pulled harder. The skin of his palm tore open and sharp pangs of pain rippled up his arm, but he didn't let go until he felt her grip slip from her shock at what he was doing. He yanked it right out of her hand and threw it aside before planting his boot smack dab in the middle of her chest and kicking her.

She gasped for breath, stumbling backwards in pain until her back hit the outer wall of the captain's quarters. Harry didn't give her time to catch her breath and gather her bearings before he invaded her space. He pressed her against the wall, his hook restraining her lead arm, her other arm caught behind her back, and his knee between her legs. Her sword was nowhere to be found, and she couldn't break free out of his hold on her no matter how much she struggled against him. He had her totally subdued and at his mercy.

And from his standpoint, that meant he won.

"Well, well, well… Looks like I finally defeated you, _Uma_." He drew out her name, loving how her eyes were half-lidded, her breathing uncontrolled as she tried to fight against his hold. "Do you concede this battle?"

Her eyes were dancing in the early evening light, glittering with mischief and something warm hidden deep in her gaze that made his heart swell in his chest. At that moment, she was more beautiful to him than she'd ever been before.

"You are one crazy fuck…" she murmured, though amusement gleamed in her eyes. "But in all these years you've finally managed to beat me."

"Well, someone did once tell me my strengths are in how wildly and unpredictably I fight." He smirked. "Don't stall. What's your response, Uma?"

"Fine." Uma glowered up at him, though he could see the corners of her mouth turning up into a small smile. "I'll marry you."

"She said yes!" He let out a loud bark of laughter, throwing his hooked hand in the air. "You just made me the luckiest man on the Isle."

"Put a cork in it, Harry Hook."

"Gladly."

He yanked her forward, closing the small gap between them and kissing her passionately to loud hollers and cheers from their watching crew. They rang cowbells, cartwheeled and flipped around the deck in celebration while others cracked open barrels of ale.

Five out of six times Uma had beaten Harry in a duel, but it didn't matter to him because he'd won the most important duel of his life.

And with it, the goddess of his dreams.


End file.
